Press Release

The NFL on Thursday announced its 17-week, 256-game regular-season schedule for 2018, which kicks off on Thursday night, Sept. 6, in Philadelphia and concludes Sunday, Dec. 30 with 16 division games.

The season begins with the NFL's annual primetime kickoff game, as the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles host the Atlanta Falcons at Lincoln Financial Field on Sept. 6 (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC).

Week 1 is a FOX national weekend with key games on Sunday, Sept. 9 featuring the Dallas Cowboys at the Carolina Panthers (4:25 p.m.) and the Seattle Seahawks visiting the Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m.). Week 1 matchups on CBS include the Houston Texans at the New England Patriots (1 p.m.) and the Los Angeles Chargers hosting the Kansas City Chiefs (4:05 p.m.). Week 2 represents the first CBS national weekend with doubleheader games showcasing the Oakland Raiders at the Denver Broncos (4:25 p.m.) and the Patriots visiting the Jacksonville Jaguars (4:25 p.m.).

"Kickoff Weekend" concludes on Monday, Sept. 10 with an ESPN "Monday Night Football" doubleheader. The Detroit Lions will host the New York Jets (7:10 p.m.) in the first game followed by the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Oakland Raiders in the nightcap (10:20 p.m.).

ESPN will televise one game each Monday night in Weeks 2-16. There will be no Monday night game on the final regular season weekend (Week 17) to provide more flexibility for the scheduling of the opening weekend of the NFL playoffs.

The NFL's international slate includes three games in London - occurring in three consecutive weeks (Week 6-8) - and one in Mexico City. English Premier League soccer club Tottenham Hotspur's new stadium is the site of the first game of the 2018 London Series schedule in Week 6 on Sunday, Oct. 14, as the Oakland Raiders host the Seattle Seahawks (1 p.m., FOX). The following week, action returns to Wembley Stadium as the Los Angeles Chargers host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Oct. 21 (9:30 a.m., CBS). The 2018 London Series concludes in Week 8 with the Jaguars hosting the Eagles at Wembley on Sunday, Oct. 28 (9:30 a.m., NFL Network).

For the third consecutive season, the NFL will return to Mexico City's Estadio Azteca. On Monday, Nov. 19, the Los Angeles Rams host the Kansas City Chiefs in the historic venue on "Monday Night Football" (8:15 p.m., ESPN).

The NFL's 32 teams will each play 16 games over 17 weeks. Byes will begin in Week 4 and end in Week 12.

"Flexible scheduling" will be used in weeks 11-17. Additionally, in weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In weeks 5-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for "Sunday Night Football" on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. A flexible scheduling move would be announced at least 12 days before the game.